Chapter 5: PointBreak
The Next Morning
"So Friday then?" Midnight inquired.
"Friday sounds perfect. We'll head into Ponyville on the morning train, meet your parents for lunch, and say hi to Twilight before three. Are we spending the night down there?" David replied from the kitchen while struggling to hold an apple.
"No, I don't think we're gonna spend the night... you need help with that?" She asked, a hopeful glimmer in her eye.
"Nah, I got it." He answered, biting down on the juicy fruit as if to prove his point.
Bits of apple juice smeared into his coat on his face and around his mouth, but that hardly deterred him as he munched on his prize. Midnight deflated slightly at his refusal to accept her help, but hid her reaction before David could notice it. After a moment, he finished his apple and tossed the core into the trash. It missed by a mile, and he sighed before trotting over and delicately picking it up with his hooves and deposited it in the trash.
After it became clear that he no longer needed assistance of any kind, Midnight decided to change the subject, "Are you sure you're ready for this? My mom can be a bit... much. I don't want her to spook you or anything."
"It'll be fine, Mid. Trust me. I've dealt with overprotective moms before. It's nothing new. Besides, I have a plan that I think will make her like me." David hinted, feeling immensely satisfied with the sudden look of confusion on Midnight's face.
"What are you planning?" She asked.
"Oh, just you wait and see. It'll be a fun surprise, I promise." David replied.
Midnight pouted, "Fine then. Keep your secrets."
"I think you'll like it too." He sing-songed.
"Oh well now I really wanna know!" She cried out.
"In due time, Midnight. In due time." He teased.
David headed for the door but a pouting unicorn to his left kept him from completely exiting the house.
"Where are you going now?" She asked.
"I'm going to go train with Storm for a bit. She said that she got her husband to show up and he's apparently really good at flying. Why, what's up?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Well...I mean, you've been going to train with Storm every day for the last couple of weeks and I don't get to see you until sundown... I was kinda hoping that we could spend today together." Midnight's voice came sheepishly, and with a hint of embarrassment.
David suppressed a chuckle at her modest request, "Aw, Mid. I miss spending time with you too, but it's only for a little while. Besides, Stormy is already waiting for me outside. I don't want to tell her to turn around now. As soon as I can finally do things like a pony, then I can go back to just being a lazy bum like always." He replied with a coy wink.
Midnight moved to speak, but David was already opening the door and heading outside.
"I'll be back in a bit. Don't worry, we'll spend tonight together, I promise." He called out.
"Wait!" Midnight called out.
"Hmm?" David turned his head, his hoof half way out the door.
"Can I... at least come with you?" She asked, a clear sign of trepidation in her voice.
David scratched the back of his neck with a hoof, "Uh... You know I love you, Mid, but... I'd rather you didn't... I'm just... I don't want you to see me crashing all day and making a fool out of myself-" As David continued, a sad frown slowly formed on Midnight's face while she silently stared back at him, "-I want you to see me when I can actually fly, you know? Besides, it's pretty boring stuff to watch. I mostly just try to hold some weights up with my wings. You'd get really bored."
Midnight's stomach twisted. The knowledge that her lover didn't want her to be there to support him during his struggles burned like a scalding blade right through her heart, and it took everything in her willpower to not let the tears start pouring out. So she stood there, unmoved, and her expression as neutral as she could make it.
David noticed her saddening features almost immediately, and his brow quickly furrowed in worry.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.
"N-nothing, nothing. I just... wanted to spend some time with you today, is all..." She replied, casting her gaze to the side.
"Mid... I'll be back in a few hours. Don't worry, okay?" He said, still wearing concern on his features.
"Alright... I'll see you when you get back." Midnight replied, her voice lacking any of its normal luster.
"Okay," David gave a warm smile, "I really need to get going, but I promise that tonight, we'll do whatever you want." He said before turning around and heading out the door. He waved goodbye as he began to close said door behind him.
Seeing her opportunity quickly slipping away, Midnight reached out with a hoof to get his attention, "Wait, David!" She weakly called out, but the door closed just as she opened her mouth.
She cringed as the door closed, and her hoof slowly fell back down to the floor. A depressed frown adorned her face, and she pawed at the hardwood for a few moments before muttering a curse under her breath. With David gone for the majority of the day, she had nothing else to do. Knowing full well that boredom would set in within a matter of minutes, she headed out the front door and watched as David hooked himself up to the wagon and headed off down the road, chatting up Storm Shield all the while.
"Dammit... Why is this so hard?" Midnight whispered to herself.
The early morning rays of sunshine kissed the world around her, and even though the serene lighting reflected a picture of content and warmth as she watched the two pegasi happily talk and trot, a feeling of bitter loneliness and pain made the graphite mare's heart ache. Alas, she cast her eyes downward and sank to her haunches.
"Why won't he talk to me..?" She asked nopony in particular.
A single drop of liquid fell from her face and collided with the wood of her front porch below. Then another, and another. Soon, there was a small torrent of tears dripping down to the hardwood floor, and despite Midnight's best efforts, the cascade of liquid continued.
"M-maybe mom was right... Maybe I am jumping into this a little too quickly..." She whispered to herself.
Only when the sun disappeared behind a veil of cloud cover, and her tears were joined by the tiny pitter-patter of rain drops, did Midnight finally rise to her hooves and walk back inside her house. The tears didn't stop for some time after that.
David and Storm trotted along the country road leading to the open field as rain drizzled over their coats and matted their manes against their scalps. Despite the apparent turn of weather, they found conversation easy, and trotted along happily as the morning wore on.
"-So we met a Pacy's - he was shopping while I was... putting a slinky on the stairs. Hehe..." Storm finished explaining with a sheepish smile.
"Haha, so what, he saw you screwing around and just decided that 'Yep, she's the one'?" David teased.
"Pretty much, yeah. It only took us a few months to figure out that we wanted to be together for the rest of our lives, and well... the rest is history."
"Nice. I'm glad you found him. It sounds like he makes you really happy." David replied.
"Oh yeah, he's the best. I hate having to see him go for work, but he makes it up to me every time he comes home." Storm replied in a dreamy tone.
David simply chuckled at her schoolgirl crush level of affection for her husband. Storm raised an eyebrow at him, before her face changed into a wide grin.
"And what about you and Midnight, mister 'hopeless romantic'? You and her have been going steady for months now. Any thoughts about making it permanent?" She coyly asked.
A hot blush immediately formed on David's face, and he quickly redirected his gaze at a passing tree as if it had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world, "W-well... I mean... Maybe?" He stuttered.
"Maybe? Come on, Davey! You're practically head over hooves for her! And she's completely head over hooves for you! After what you two went through together, I'm honestly surprised you're not married already with a few foals running around." Storm chastised.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Midnight. I do! I really, really do. When I see her eyes sparkle in the morning light, or the way her coat feels against mine when we snuggle up with each other... The way she makes my heart beat faster just by looking at me... I would do anything for her... I just want to be sure that I can be the husband she deserves. I don't want her to marry me when I can barely hold a cup in my hooves, or just barely manage to get off the ground. She deserves better than that... I just want to be my best self before I ask her that." David thoughtfully explained.
Storm pursed her lips as she thought over his words. One thing quickly became apparent in the forefront of her mind, "Well... What are you afraid of? I mean, she fell in love with you when you were dying from Equestrian magic and couldn't remember what you had for breakfast each day. Why wouldn't she want to be with you when you can't do normal pegasus things yet?" She inquired.
"Because that's just it, Storm! I've been nothing but a burden to her this whole time. I mean, think about it! When I crashed here, she saved me. When the guard almost killed me, she spared me. When I was lost and confused, and all of Canterlot rejected me, she accepted me. And when I was on my literal deathbed, with the decision to save me resting entirely on her shoulders, she went against everything she believed in to give me another chance at life. Every time I've been down or needed help, she was the one that came to my rescue. I mean, fuck! If it weren't for her, I would have died three times over by now-" David explained, his tone growing louder and angrier with every word.
He stopped pulling the cart and simply spoke, prompting Storm to stop beside him and recoil slightly as his voice rose and rose with each sentence.
"-And the worst part is that she feels so goddamn guilty over that choice, over making me a pony, and I mean, being this way fucking sucks. It really does. I miss having hands! I miss having feet! I miss being able to grab things and not feel like a fucking child all the time, and every single day is a struggle! I get out of bed, and I can't tell you how many fucking times I've looked at the mirror and almost had a panic attack because I don't fucking recognize the face looking back at me!" He abruptly stopped, his gaze cast down at the ground.
"Davey... I-" Storm began.
"But that isn't the hardest part. Nothing about that is as hard to deal with as how upset she gets. I know she thinks I don't notice, but when I have my little moments, I can see it in her eyes... It's like every time I struggle, I can literally see her blame herself for doing this to me. Like every hardship I have to deal with is entirely her fault, and nothing hurts more than that. Hell, just ten minutes ago she asked to spend the day with me and I turned her down because I can't stand to see her watch me struggle... I love her, Stormy... I love her so much and I'd do anything to make her happy... That's why I have to do this without her. When I can finally stand on my own legs and show her that I'm not just some burden she has to take care of - when I show her that I deserve the love that she has for me... then, I'll ask her to marry me." David finished, his breath heaving out slowly through the drizzling rain.
"D-Davey? Where is this coming from? Are... are you okay?" Storm hesitantly asked, a worried frown plastered on her face.
"Yeah... yeah, I'm sorry. It's been hard to keep my temper in check lately and I just kinda vented... God, I can't stop seeing it..." He trailed off.
Storm placed a worried hoof on David's wither, "Can't stop seeing what?"
"That look in her eyes, Storm... That hurt, stabbed-in-the-back look in Midnight's eyes this morning. It literally hurts to think about..." He muttered.
"Well, then let's call it off today and you can go back to her. Spend some time with her." Storm suggested.
"I want to! God knows I want to... But at the same time, I hate the idea of just being completely dependent on her for everything. That's why it's so important to me that I get this down. If I can show her that I can be a pony on my own, then I can show her that I deserve the second chance she gave me. If I tell her that though, it'll just break her heart... She won't understand that this is just something I need to do without her."
"But, I've been the one training you this whole time... Learning to fly isn't exactly something you do on your own, Davey..." Storm said, her eyebrow cocked back in confusion.
"Well, yeah... But it's different. You're my best friend, Storm, but you're not Midnight. It's just... ugh, it's hard to explain." He replied, groaning in frustration all the while.
"Try me. We've got nothing but time."
David took a few moments to gather his thoughts before sighing heavily and beginning.
"It's just... You know when you really, really love someone, and you know that they've seen you at your lowest, so you know that-ugh, no no no.... That's not it... It's like... God Dammit!" He angrily shouted, stomping his hoof into the ground, splashing a fair amount of mud and water all over his barrel in the process.
"Davey. Relax. Breathe. Breathe and tell me what exactly you're trying to say here." Storm chastised.
David sighed heavily again, "I just... I just want to surprise her by showing her that I can adapt to this body, that I can deal with what happened to me, and that I can move forward. I know it doesn't really make sense, but I just want to do something on my own power to show her that I deserve what she's done for me..."
"Well, don't you think that having her out here with you to support you would still accomplish the same goal?" Storm asked.
"I mean... Trust me, I want her there to support me... I do... It's just..." He trailed off.
"Davey, I feel like you're not being completely honest with me here." Storm sternly asserted.
David hung his head low and sighed again, "I just... I don't want her to see me fail again... On my planet, a man is supposed to be strong, dependable, and protective. So far, I've been weak while she's had to be strong for me... I've had to depend on her when she didn't need to depend on me for anything... And as for protection? God... If it weren't for her, I don't know where I'd be now. She's everything I'm supposed to be, and I feel like every time she has to help me with something, it's like I lose a little more of what I'm supposed to be for her. Every time she has to come to my aid, it feels like I don't deserve her."
"Davey, you know that's just not true. Midnight loves you! I mean, have you seen the way she looks at you? It's like puppy-dog love but real. So what if you're not the macho man that you always wanted to be? At the end of the day, if you have a mare that loves and cares for you, isn't that all that matters?"
David's brow furrowed as small rivulets of water streamed down his face.
"It's not about what I want... It's about what she deserves..." He muttered, his gaze aimed at his hoofprint in the mud.
"Yeah? And what if you are exactly what she deserves? Flaws and all?" Storm asked, giving David and uncharacteristically intense look.
"Storm... I don't-" David started.
"No! Look at me." Storm commanded. David slowly lifted his head until he was looking into Storm's emerald eyes, "You are probably my closest friend, Davey. I've seen you at your lowest, and at your highest. One thing that stayed the same throughout all of those peaks and valleys, was how much you care about her. I've never seen two ponies more meant for each other. Go back there right now and tell her that."
David dropped his gaze to the dirt once more and pawed at a small stone with his hoof for a moment before turning back to face their house. The faint light of the front porch still shown in the misty rain, and after only a few moments of deliberation, David bit down on the strap connecting him to the wagon and unfastened himself. He turned around and broke into a full gallop back towards his home.
Rain pelted his coat as his hooves pounded against the gravel road, and he pushed all of his power into the fastest gallop he could muster. Within a minute, he was back in the front yard, and running up the steps of the front porch. He panted heavily from the exertion and pounded on the front door like his life depended on it. A few moments later, the front door was meekly pulled back open to reveal two bloodshot eyes with sapphire irises.
"D-David?" Midnight asked, clearly taken off guard by his sudden reappearance.
David did not reply, instead, he pulled the door open with his hoof and pressed forward through the now-open doorway. Midnight was again caught off guard by his sudden ability to use his hooves, and she struggled to find any words as he drew closer. Just as she was about to speak, David cut her off by grabbing her by the withers and pulling her into a deep kiss. Her eyes shot wide open at first, but as the kiss persisted, they slowly fluttered shut, and her withers sagged as she felt her body literally swoon from the raw emotion behind the kiss.
As their lips connected over and over again, David wrapped his hooves around Midnight's back and gently pulled her in closer. She almost hurriedly pushed herself into it, even through his damp and soggy coat. The water soaked into hers all the same, and she couldn't even be bothered to notice it as the only thing that held her focus was the strong, almost intimidating pegasus stallion kissing her as if it was the last time.
Eventually, his lips pulled away from hers, and Midnight felt him gently place his forehead against hers.
"I-I think I needed that..." She whispered.
"Mid... I am so sorry. I should have asked you to come with us from the very start." He replied, his voice also a whisper.
"It's okay, real-" She began.
"No. It's not okay. I'm going through the biggest change in my life right now and I was trying to keep you out of it for so long. You've been nothing but good to me ever since I met you. You're the best thing in my life and I would do anything to make you happy... I love you so much that it hurts, and I can't believe it took me so long to realize that what I was doing was the exact opposite of what I wanted to do." He explained, interjecting her in the process.
"But... David, I don't understand." She replied
David squeezed her just a little tighter, "I've been able to pick things up for over a week now... And I kinda flew for the first time yesterday..."
He felt Midnight go just a bit ridged in his forelegs.
"And I know that you wanted to help me more than anything, but the thing is... I'm having a real hard time adjusting to being a pony. I miss a lot about being human... It's a struggle every day for me, and I know that you feel guilty for taking that choice from me, but the thing is, I would rather suffer through that for the rest of my life than push you away." He explained.
"But... I still don't understand?" She pressed.
"Mid... you're my hero. My personal, honest to god, hero. You've stolen my heart and I would die for you... But that's just the thing..." He sighed heavily, "I just... I just wanted to surprise you and give you a reason to be proud of me. I know you've said that I'm not a burden on you, but sometimes... it's just impossible for me to not feel like I am. Even since I got here you've been the one constant in my life that has held me together... And I don't think I've been that for you... That's why I didn't tell you, and why I didn't want you there with us... I got it in my head that if I could succeed without you, then I could prove to myself that I do deserve you... But instead, all I was doing was hurting the best mare in my life... And I'm so sorry for that." He finished, his voice shaky and horse all the while.
Midnight was taken aback. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and the aching pain in her heart quickly blossomed into a beautiful tingling sensation.
"David..." She breathed, tears forming in her eyes.
"I'm so lucky to have you... You're everything to me..." David whispered, burying his muzzle in her mane.
Midnight wrapped her hooves around his barrel as best she could and squeezed him closer. Tears streaked out of her eyes once again, but for the first time in a while, they were tears of joy.
"Oh, David... I'm sorry too."
"No. You have nothing to apologize for. You are perfect in every way and I love you." David cooed, stroking her mane with his hoof.
Midnight blushed at the compliment and melted further into his embrace.
"I should have been more understanding though... I didn't realize that doing something on your own mattered so much to you." Midnight pressed.
"It is a big deal to me... But you had no way to know. I've been downright terrible at communication these last few weeks." David relented.
Midnight chuckled slightly into his chest, "I think we've both been pretty bad at communication lately, huh?"
"Yeah... Promise to be more open with each other?" David asked.
"It's a promise." She whispered.
"Good. I love you, Mid."
"I love you too, David."
They held each other for a few moments before finally relenting the hug and looking into each other's eyes again.
"So... what now?" Midnight asked.
"Now, we do whatever you want. We can go out in the rain and I can make a damn fool out of myself while you and Storm watch me, or we can spend the day here and just be us for a bit." David replied.
Midnight smiled. It was a normal, everyday kind of smile, but something about it tugged at David's heartstrings, and he couldn't help put pull her into another tight hug. She happily reciprocated the action, and soon enough, they were simply sitting on their haunches in the doorway, one soaking wet and dampening the other with each passing second. She didn't mind though, if anything, it only made her feel warmer.
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this chapter shows just how much the two love each other.
a truly grate chapter.
damn this got me its sad yet so true being a man myself i can say that we have many things we hate to see get hurt and i think what we hate most is our feelings of being men .don't get me wrong im not some testosterone freak but as a man i have my pride. that feeling that we have to be the breadwinners that we have to be the protectors is real and when we fail the worst thing that hurts is our pride
I haven't said anything yet but I've really been loving this sequel to The Discovery. It was great to be able to learn about Midnight's adoptive parents and hear a bit about Storm's husband. And speaking of Storm, she is such an amazing friend to David. I loved how she pushed him harder than he thought he could go when training to fly and the results of that show she knew what she was talking about. I also really liked how she helped David and "very strongly" encouraged him to turn around and talk to Midnight in this chapter.
I didn't feel that David had a sudden change cause I had sensed that the interaction between Midnight and David was the catalyst to that rant and was making her realize what he was doing by keeping her out of things. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next, especially that meet with the parents. Also, listened to the song that inspired that moment. It sounded great and the lyrics were pretty deep.
9749386
I'm so glad you feel that way. This story was hard to finish, mostly because of me trying to figure out how in the hell to write it without sounding cringy or just not making sense, but I'm relieved that so many people have enjoyed it.
Been reading this off and on. I have to say, I really enjoy the interaction between Storm and David.
Also, the song is pretty good.
I quite liked this chapter. While reading the previous chapters, I often thought "Just talk to each other". Glad to see that happen now
Looking forward to the rest of the story.
9857982
Glad you enjoyed! Talking to each other is usually the easiest solution to a problem like this, yet also the most difficult thing to do. I'm glad you enjoyed my portrayal of that.
Wonderfully successful subversion of the miscommunication breakup trope. I really thought you'd go that route until the end there.
You know, this song suits David's first flight.
10567364
It does kinda have a heroic feeling to it, doesn't it?
muh heart